Notes of Faith September 21, 2024
God of Wonder: God’s Wonders Cannot Be Fathomed
[He] does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.
Job 5:9
Besides being beautiful literature, the book of Job addresses one of the world’s greatest problems: the problem of suffering. Job was a righteous man (Job 1:1) who nonetheless experienced tremendous tragedy and suffering—seemingly without any obvious reason. Job spends most of the book defending his innocence while his friends attempt to convince him that he must have done something to deserve his suffering. While Job’s friends’ theology is not always well-informed, one of them encourages Job to appeal to God “Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number” (Job 5:9), which are detailed in verses 10-16. Surely the ways of such a God can be trusted.
Job is not convinced by the words of his friend, but he changes his mind when God Himself speaks (Job 38–41). Listening to God, Job realizes that God is greater than his problems and that God can be trusted with whatever happens in his life. After God describes His wondrous works to Job, his eyes and ears are opened, and he repents of his lack of faith (Job 42:1-6).
Meditating on the unfathomable works and wonders of God can inspire us to trust Him with our unanswered questions.
Learn to worship God as the God who does wonders, who wishes to prove in you that He can do something supernatural and divine.
Andrew Murray
Job 42:2-6
2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 [You asked,] 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 ["You said,] 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."
NIV
Somewhere along the avenue of life we need to recognize that we are not God, that we do not know the fullness of God, all that He is and does. When we do, we will repent of our sin and trust the truth. Trust the God who gave you life, who draws you to Himself, to have an intimate relationship with you because of His love for you. God is great and greatly to be praised!
Pastor Dale